Engineers were dispatched to repair Westminster’s renowned Big Ben clock after it briefly stopped on Wednesday morning at approximately 9 am. The Elizabeth Tower clock appeared to malfunction, displaying incorrect time and sounding an erroneous number of bongs at an inappropriate time. The clock’s iconic bongs, which traditionally chime on the hour, rang out instead at 10:06 am. A spokesperson for the House of Commons acknowledged the disruption, stating that the clock dials on the Elizabeth Tower had temporarily displayed inaccurate information that morning. Responding swiftly, specialized teams rectified the issue and conducted routine maintenance on the mechanism, which was successfully completed. Currently, the clock dials are functioning as expected, and no systemic risks have been detected. Following the comprehensive refurbishment of the Great Clock, regular servicing is conducted in accordance with horological industry standards to maintain its precise operation. The clock accurately displayed the time once again at 10:15 am. Intermittent stoppages are part of the ongoing ‘bedding in’ process, allowing the clock’s mechanism to adjust. The hourly bell strikes are anticipated to resume at midday after system reset. Big Ben underwent a significant restoration project between August 2017 and November 2022, which involved the Elizabeth Tower and reportedly cost approximately £80 million. Notably, the clock experienced two stoppages within a single week last July, approximately a year after its restoration. The Great Bell, affectionately known as Big Ben, weighs an impressive 13.7 tonnes and chimes every hour, emitting the note of E natural. Accompanying the Great Bell are four quarter bells that chime every 15 minutes.
Big Ben Stops and Displays Incorrect Time, Engineers Quickly Resolve Issue
